findings from the batwa census and study characteristics...

Findings from the Batwa Census and study

Introduction

The information presented was collected on all the Batwa in the BMCA, and it looks at number

of Batwa, education status, gender, age, land ownership among the Batwa and housing

conditions. It is complemented with information extracted from the BMCT reports.

Characteristics of Households and Respondents

Number of Batwa by sex in the BMCA

The numerical balance between the sexes has a major effect on the demographic, social and

economic inter-relationships when cross classified with reference to social and economic

variables.

Table 1: Distribution of Batwa by sex in the BMCA

District # of households Males Females Total

Kisoro 413 908 972 1,880

Kanungu 165 385 391 776

Kabale 188 392 415 807

Total 766 1,685 1,778 3,463

There are 3,463 Batwa in the BMCA with 1,685 males and 1,778 females. There are also 766

Batwa households in the area and majority of Batwa are in Kisoro district. Sex composition is

also valuable to help the projectunderstand gender aspects in improving the development and

improvement of Batwa communities. According to census results, there are 94.7 males per 100

females among the Batwa in the BMCA. This is in comparison to the national sex ratio which

shows that there are 94.5 males per 100 females (UBOS, 2014)

Contribution of BMCT towards Batwa livelihood improvement

The government of Uganda with assistance from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and

Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust (BMCT) bought 406 acres of land estimated at Shs 4.06Bn

for the Batwa who had not accessed land. These included the land less communities in the

districts of Kabale, Kanungu and Kisoro which has made 43.6% of the Batwa own land. The aim

of this intervention was to resettle the Batwa, so that they can be productive and improve food

productivity and engage in economic activities for their improved livelihoods. Furthermore as

Batwa originally depended on the forests to gather fruits, honey and mushrooms for their food to

supplement their other sources especially through provision of labour to their neighboring

agricultural communities. They also needed a home of their own in order to improve their status

and level of confidence.

From 2008, BMCT supported pupils in primary education with uniforms and other scholastic

materials (exercise books, pens, pencils). In order to motivate them reward to the best

performing pupils was also done. One of the supported Mutwa girl with tuition and other

relevant school materials over many years completed Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education

(UACE) and we are supporting her through the university. We also are working on key aspects

of increasing Batwa school retention and completion rates in all districts. The above has resulted

into an increase in the enrollment rates as shown in the trends below;

Source: BMCT Report, 2016

Village Savings and Loans Associations

20 VSLA Batwa groups were formed and Batwa members have been trained in VSLA

methodology. A total of 431 (270 females & 161 males) Batwa were involved. The training

involved principles of VSLA, group formation, general assembly, internal rules and regulations,

selection of the management committee, book keeping and how to save. The training was

conducted to improve group cohesiveness, the community members saving culture, engage

members in income generating activities and integrate Batwa with non Batwa such that they can

learn from them for improved livelihood. The following has been observed;

The VSLA methodology has benefited both Batwa and non Batwa in groups to pool their

own funds as savings, access loans for investing in micro projects for generating sustainable

incomes at household level.

Batwa are empowered to make decisions during VSLA meetings. The inclusion of Batwa on

VSLA executive committees has empowered them to have self-esteem thus able to contribute

in decisions making of group matters.

BMCT through VSLA activities has facilitated the integration of the Batwa in main stream society

activities and position them to benefit from government programs like operation wealth creation.

House construction

164179 189

174154

110

151

195221 213

236 232 232 223

318

347 340321 325 325

380

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Kabale

Kanungu

Kisoro

BMCT has been able to construct houses for the Batwa to improve the housing conditions of the

Batwa in the BMCA. The purpose is to slowly help them to adapt to living in settlements rather

than keep moving from place to place. As a result of constructing houses for Batwa the following

has been observed;

Improved Sanitation and hygiene among the Batwa. Due to provision of pit latrines and

continuous sensitisations, sanitation and hygiene has greatly improved. Diseases like

diarrhoea, dysentery are no longer common compared to the past. Some of the Batwa now

have a positive look as some Batwa have bought land to increase their acreage.

Batwa’s self-esteem within the community has improved. Batwa interaction with the non

Batwa freely with minimal inferiority is observed. They fell so proud because they have

homes like Bakiga and Bafumbira.

Malaria outbreak is no longer common among the resettled Batwa families. According to

Prossy Kimanizanye of Nyabaremura village, Rubuguri parish, Kirundo Sub County, Kisoro

district malaria out break among the resettled Batwa in no longer common. The government

provided mosquito nets to all household members so Batwa who had houses benefited and

these were treated mosquito nets.

Due to having better houses, Batwa are smart because they keep their clothes in well roofed

main house that is free of smoke. Unlike in the past where clothes were kept in huts where

they cooked thus smoke would turn colours of their clothes

Food security: Settled Batwa have resorted to tilling the land BMCT gave them without

migrating from place to place in search of food.

School dropout among the resettled Batwa families has reduced: School going children

among the resettled families is higher and stable than the non-resettled families because

Children have a sense of belonging to a family with a good residence like that of a non

Mutwa whose children they are studying with. The young were the most frequent visitors to

the forest so helping them to acquire education greatly reduced the frequency of going into

the forest

Average household size among the Batwa

Table showing population per settlement and average household size

District Batwa

settlement

Sex Total

# of

households

Average HH

size Males Females

Kabale Byamihanda 14 13 27 7 3.9

Kabale Ishunga 25 18 43 10 4.3

Kabale kashasha 13 7 20 5 4.0

Kabale Mafuga 26 20 46 13 3.5

Kabale Makanga 17 25 42 10 4.2

Kabale Murambo 25 31 56 12 4.7

Kabale Murubindi 130 129 259 54 3.9

District Batwa

settlement

Sex Total

# of

households

Average HH

size Males Females

Kabale Mushanje 59 63 122 29 4.2

Kabale Nyakabungo 17 21 38 11 3.5

Kabale Rwaburindi 13 8 21 5 4.2

Kabale Rwamahano 60 73 109 32 3.4

Sub Total 399 408 807 188 4.3

Kanungu Bikuto 44 45 89 15 5.9

Kanungu Buhoma 4 6 10 3 3.3

Kanungu Byumba 68 69 137 21 6.5

Kanungu Kanyanshande 7 5 12 3 4.0

Kanungu Karehe 20 23 43 10 4.3

Kanungu Kebiremu 50 32 82 24 3.4

Kanungu Kihembe 46 45 91 24 3.8

Kanungu Kitahurira 27 43 70 10 7.0

Kanungu Kitariro 68 71 139 21 6.6

Kanungu Mukongoro 57 59 116 21 5.5

Kanungu Rurangara 24 28 52 13 4.0

Sub Total 385 391 776 165 4.9

Kisoro Bigina 8 9 17 2 8.5

Kisoro Biizi 53 54 107 22 4.9

Kisoro Birara 73 68 141 30 4.7

Kisoro Buhinga 3 9 12 2 6.0

Kisoro Busaro 12 10 22 5 4.4

Kisoro Butobo 11 11 22 5 4.4

Kisoro Gitebe 70 79 149 39 3.8

Kisoro Kabahenda 16 18 34 8 4.3

Kisoro Kabale 20 22 42 10 4.2

Kisoro kabuga 7 8 15 2 7.5

Kisoro Kagano 23 17 40 10 4.0

Kisoro Kamugoyi 37 46 83 17 4.9

Kisoro Kanyabukungu 6 16 22 3 7.3

Kisoro Kanyamahene 6 7 13 3 4.3

Kisoro Kashija 18 21 39 8 4.9

Kisoro Kiburara 2 3 5 1 5.0

Kisoro Mabungo 5 1 6 3 2.0

Kisoro Mabuyemeru 62 56 118 24 4.9

District Batwa

settlement

Sex Total

# of

households

Average HH

size Males Females

Kisoro Mikingo 67 69 136 38 3.6

Kisoro Mperwa 32 19 51 11 4.6

Kisoro Mukungu 90 90 180 35 5.1

Kisoro Musasa 32 44 76 19 4.0

Kisoro Nyabaremura 13 17 30 7 4.3

Kisoro Nyamwirima 0 2 2 1 2.0

Kisoro Nyarutembe 23 27 50 12 4.2

Kisoro Rubare 15 17 32 5 6.4

Kisoro Rugyeshi 24 25 49 10 4.9

Kisoro Rukyeri 45 53 98 24 4.1

Kisoro Rushaga 38 42 80 16 5.0

Kisoro Rutare 10 15 25 7 3.6

Kisoro Ryabitukuru 22 28 50 12 4.2

Kisoro Sanuriro 61 67 128 21 6.1

Sub Total 908 972 1880 413 4.6

Grand Total

1,692 1,771 3,463

766 4.5

Results from Table 2 show that the average household size for Batwa households in the BMCA

is 4.5. Kanungu district has the highest average household size of 4.9. Majority of Batwa are in

Kisoro district with a population of 1,880. According to the population and housing census,

2014, the average household size of people in the BMCA is 4.5.

3.10: Age distribution among the Batwa

Age distribution is one of the important aspects in a given population. It is indicated that most of

the Batwa are below 25 years (68.8%) compared to other age groups. It also shows that there are

a considerable number of young children below 5 years contributing 22.2% of the Batwa

population

Table 3: % distribution of Batwa according to their age groups by district

Age group

District

Total Kabale Kanungu Kisoro

Below 5 years 23.9 21.0 22.1 827

6 – 14 22.4 27.7 28.1 908

15 – 25 19.4 20.0 19.9 671

26 – 35 13.6 12.6 10.8 401

36 – 45 8.2 8.6 8.9 294

Age group

District


46 – 55 5.3 3.9 3.6 137

56 – 65 4.0 2.6 3.4 113

Above 66 years 3.3 3.6 3.2 112

Total 807 776 1880 3,463

Source: Batwa Population Census 2016

.

The age distribution of Batwa household members from disaggregated by district, has been

summarised in Table 3. It revealed a fairly similar proportion for each age group across the three

districts. For instance the children aged 0 to 5 years accounted for 23.9% in Kabale, 21.0% in

Kanungu and 22.1% in Kisoro while the adults above 66 years of age were 3.3%, 3.6% and

3.2%, in the respective districts.

3.11: Level of education among the Batwa

The demographic results from the Batwa population census show that the more than half of the

Batwa populations (52.9%) have never attained any formal education. It also shows that only

0.5% of the population have attained tertiary level of education. 53% of those who have never

attained any formal education are females.

Table showing percentage of Batwa level of education per district

Education level District


No education 54.7 39.8 57.7 1,868

Primary 44.5 54.6 41.0 1,520

Secondary 0.4 4.8 1.0 59

Tertiary 0.4 0.8 0.4 16

Total 807 776 1880 3,463


The Batwa level of education was also assessed disaggregated by district as summarized in Table

4. For instance those who have never attained any formal education accounted for 54.7% in

Kabale, 39.8% in Kanungu and 57.7% in Kisoro while those who attained tertiary level of

education were 0.4%, 0.8% and 0.4%, in the respective districts.The above graph also shows that

of those who had never attained any formal education, 52.9%, (N=950) are females compared to

males

Proportion of school going age Batwa learners per district

Table showing proportion of school going age Batwa learners per district

District Child in school

Total Yes (%) No (%)

Kabale 55.0 45.0 318

Kanungu 72.4 27.6 421

Kisoro 50.8 49.2 929

Total 57.1 42.9 1668

Results indicate that 57.1% of school going Batwa learners attend school and Kisoro is the most

affected with 49.2% of school going children not attending school.

Reasons why 42.9% of Batwa are not attending school include the following;

Poverty; Batwa children in schools still need some extra attention as they do not have access

to basic school requirements like uniforms, shoes and other scholastics.

Limited number of peer examples from educated Batwa who would serve as role models to

encourage the young children on the importance of education.

Batwa parents lack awareness of the importance of education and prefer using their children

for domestic chores like selling labor for food, cooking, collecting water and firewood,

taking care of the young ones, working in gardens and scaring away problem animals other

than sending their children to school.

Alcoholism and domestic violence in Batwa families hinders favorable conditions for their

children.

Batwa Access to Farm Land

As farming is the key to the livelihoods for the Batwa population in the BMCA is also dependent

on land, access to farmland is essential. BMCT aims at increasing the number of Batwa

accessing land and believes that together with donors and government this is not an impossible

task. Batwa need to access and increase acreage on which crops are planted for their households.

About 44% of Batwa households in the BMCA (43.6%, N= 334) have access to farmland. The

remaining 56.4% (N=432) said they do not have access to farmland of their own.

Table showing Batwa access to farm land per district

District Batwa Land ownership per district # of

Households Yes (%) No (%)

Kabale 47.3 52.7 188

Kanungu 78.2 21.8 165

Kisoro 28.1 71.9 413

Total 43.6 56.4 766

Acreage of Farm land Cultivated by Batwa Last Season.

The size of land under crop cultivation is a good indicator of efforts being made by Batwa to

open up land for farming. On average, Batwa have between 1 acre to 10 acres depending on their

stage of adaptation. Some already own cows and goats are very common. Those who have no

land have borrowed or rented land.

Most Cultivated Crops by Batwa

A wide range of crops are grown by the Batwa and most crops are similar to those grown by

their Bakiga neighbor’s within the region. These include beans, maize, cassava, irish potatoes,

sweat potatoes, ground nuts, millet, sorghum, yams, peas, vegetables, rice and wheat. However,

most of them use intercropping of crops to overcome the problem of little land.

Most Batwa farmers planted Beans (25.7%, N=197), followed by sweat potatoes (14.2%,

N=109), irish potatoes (13.1%, N=100), maize (12.7%, N=97), millet (7.6%, N=58) in that order.

The average acreage planted per crop among households reflects the same order, Beans (0.3

acres), followed by sweat potatoes (0.32 acres), irish potatoes (0.34 acres), maize (0.31 acres),

millet (0.3 acres)

Figure 1: Most cultivated crops among the Batwa in the BMCA

3.16: Crop yield

Average yield per acre varied with the type of crop planted by the farmers. Millet yield is

highest, with a production of 469.7 kg per acre. This is followed by cassava, where one acre

produced 282.9 kg, groundnuts at 233.8 kg per acre and beans yield was the least with 98.1 kg

per acre, respectively. Table below demonstrates the amount of yield per acre per crop.

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

Beans Maize Sweat potatoes

Irish potatoes

Millet Cassava Vegetables

25.7

12.714.2

13.1

7.6

3.9 2.9

Table showingcrop yield per acre

Crops planted

Unit of

measurement Yield (kgs) Acreage Yield per acre

Beans Kgs 5691 58 98.1

Maize Kgs 4700 30.5 154.1

Cassava Sacks 3055 10.8 282.9

Irish potatoes Sacks 7516 34 221.1

Sweet potatoes Sacks 7601 35 217.2

Ground nuts Kgs 304 1.3 233.8

Millet Kgs 8454 18 469.7

Sorghum Kgs 461 2.6 177.3

Scale: 1 sack: 100 kgs

3.17: Household Dietary Diversity

Batwa have revealed that food access and diversity as measured by Household Dietary Diversity

Score (HDDS) was an average of five (5) out of the twelve food groups. An average of five food

groups is an indication that the food consumption pattern offers some diversity of a balanced

diet. HDDS is not only a measure of food diversity but also a proxy for household income.

Increased income increases a households’ ability to access food. Therefore, lower income

reduces food access and results in a lower HDDS.

3.18: Batwa land access per settlement

Land was one of the important components during the Batwa population census conducted in

April 2016. Results indicate that 56.4% of Batwa in the BMCA do not own land and this has

affected their productivity. Also the most affected district in relation to land ownership is Kisoro

with 71.9% of Batwa population staying as squatters on other peoples land compared to other

districts like kanungu where only 21.8% of Batwa population is landless.

Table 8: Batwa land ownership per settlement

District Settlement Land ownership (%) # of households

Kabale Byamihanda 0.0 7

Kabale Ishunga 0.0 10

Kabale Kashasha 40.0 5

Kabale Mafuga 53.8 13

Kabale Makanga 10.0 10

Kabale Murambo 81.8 12

Kabale Murubindi 44.4 54

Kabale Mushanje 62.1 29


Kabale Nyakabungo 54.5 11

Kabale Rwaburindi 60.0 5

Kabale Rwamahano 56.3 32

Sub Total 47.3 188

Kanungu Bikuto 73.3 15

Kanungu Buhoma 33.3 3

Kanungu Byumba 66.7 21

Kanungu Kanyasande 66.7 3

Kanungu Karehe 100.0 10

Kanungu Kebiremu 79.2 24

Kanungu Kihembe 62.5 24

Kanungu Kitahurira 90.0 10

Kanungu Kitariro 90.5 21

Kanungu Mukongoro 95.2 21

Kanungu Rurangara 69.2 13

Sub Total 78.2 165

Kisoro Bigina 50.0 2

Kisoro Biizi 31.8 22

Kisoro Birara 20.0 30

Kisoro Buhinga 100.0 2

Kisoro Busaro 40.0 5

Kisoro Butobo 20.0 5

Kisoro Gitebe 64.1 39

Kisoro Kabahenda 12.5 8

Kisoro Kabale 20.0 10

Kisoro Kabuga 100.0 2

Kisoro Kagano 0.0 10

Kisoro Kamugoyi 0.0 17

Kisoro Kanyabukungu 66.7 3

Kisoro Kanyamahene 66.7 3

Kisoro Kashija 50.0 8

Kisoro Kiburara 0.0 1

Kisoro Mabungo 33.3 3

Kisoro Mabuyemeru 33.3 24

Kisoro Mikingo 7.9 38

Kisoro Mperwa 0.0 11

Kisoro Mukungu 0.0 35

Kisoro Musasa 0.0 19


Kisoro Nyabaremura 14.3 7

Kisoro Nyamwirima 0.0 1

Kisoro Nyarutembe 0.0 12

Kisoro Rubare 100.0 5

Kisoro Rugyeshi 10.0 10

Kisoro Rukyeri 16.7 24

Kisoro Rushaga 62.0 16

Kisoro Rutare 28.6 7

Kisoro Ryabitukuru 58.3 12

Kisoro Sanuriro 76.2 21

Sub Total 28.1 413

Grand Total

43.6 766

Table showing Batwa housing conditions per district

District Type of housing per district # of

households Iron sheets (%) Grass thatched (%)

Kabale 59.6 40.4 188

Kanungu 77.6 22.4 165

Kisoro 40.2 59.8 413

Total 53.0 47.0 766


Batwa population being one of the people living in object poverty, their living conditions are also

very poor. This is because according to the study, 47.0% of Batwa live in grass thatched houses

and the worst affected district in the BMCA is Kisoro with 59.8% of Batwa households staying

in huts.

Table showing: Batwa housing conditions per settlement

District Type of housing

# of households

Batwa

settlement Iron sheets Grass thatched

Kabale Byamihanda 100.0 0.0 7

Kabale Ishunga 20.0 80.0 10

Kabale Kashasha 80.0 20.0 5

Kabale Mafuga 38.5 61.5 13

Kabale Makanga 100.0 0.0 10

Kabale Murambo 100.0 0.0 12

Kabale Murubindi 40.7 59.3 54

Kabale Mushanje 82.8 17.2 29


# of households

Batwa


Kabale Nyakabungo 45.5 54.5 11

Kabale Rwaburindi 60.0 40.0 5

Kabale Rwamahano 56.3 43.8 32

Sub Total 59.6 40.4 188

Kanungu Bikuto 93.3 6.7 15

Kanungu Buhoma 66.7 33.3 3

Kanungu Byumba 85.7 14.3 21

Kanungu Kanyashande 33.3 66.7 3

Kanungu Karehe 90.0 10.0 10

Kanungu Kebiremu 66.7 33.3 24

Kanungu Kihembe 50.0 50.0 24

Kanungu Kitahurira 90.0 10.0 10

Kanungu Kitariro 95.2 4.8 21

Kanungu Mukongoro 90.5 9.5 21

Kanungu Rurangara 61.5 38.5 13

Sub Total 77.6 22.4 165

Kisoro Bigina 100.0 0.0 2

Kisoro Biizi 31.8 68.2 22

Kisoro Birara 96.7 3.3 30

Kisoro Buhinga 100.0 0.0 2

Kisoro Busaro 60.0 40.0 5

Kisoro Butobo 100.0 0.0 5

Kisoro Gitebe 28.2 71.8 39

Kisoro Kabahenda 100.0 0.0 8

Kisoro Kabale 10.0 90.0 10

Kisoro Kabuga 100.0 0.0 2

Kisoro Kagano 0.0 100.0 10

Kisoro Kamugoyi 5.9 94.1 17

Kisoro Kanyabukungu 66.7 33.3 3

Kisoro Kanyamahene 33.3 66.7 3

Kisoro Kashija 87.5 12.5 8

Kisoro Kiburara 100.0 0.0 1

Kisoro Mabungo 100.0 0.0 3

Kisoro Mabuyemeru 62.5 37.5 24

Kisoro Mikingo 5.3 94.7 38

Kisoro Mperwa 9.1 90.9 11


# of households

Batwa


Kisoro Mukungu 34.3 65.7 35

Kisoro Musasa 0.0 100.0 19

Kisoro Nyabaremura 57.1 42.9 7

Kisoro Nyamwirima 0.0 100.0 1

Kisoro Nyarutembe 16.7 83.3 12

Kisoro Rubare 80.0 20.0 5

Kisoro Rugyeshi 30.0 70.0 10

Kisoro Rukyeri 0.0 100.0 24

Kisoro Rushaga 87.0 13.0 16

Kisoro Rutare 28.6 71.4 7

Kisoro Ryabitukuru 25.0 75.0 12

Kisoro Sanuriro 85.7 14.3 21

Sub Total 40.2 59.8 413

Grand Total

53.0 47.0 766

3.19: Assets ownership among Batwa households

Ownership and control of assets among the Batwa influences their individual participation in

development processes at all levels and lack of assets makes them vulnerable to various forms of

violence and lessens their decision-making power in the whole community. So Batwa

assets/property ownership was assessed to ascertain their economic status.

Figure 2: Assets ownership among Batwa households

About 15% of the Batwa households have a radio from which information can be sought for their

development projects. About 10% of the Batwa households at least have a mobile phone to help

Cows, 0.001

Goats , 9.4

Sheep, 3.7

Pigs, 3.9

Rabbits, 1.4

Chicken , 0.9

Radio, 15.2

Cellphone , 9.7

Cows Goats Sheep Pigs Rabbits Chicken Radio Cellphone

them ease communication.Over the years, Batwa in the BMCA with the help of BMCT have

acquired goats For example about 9.4% of the Batwa households have goats, 3.9% pigs, 3.7%

sheep and many other assets.

Relationship between Batwa owning land and the education status, volume of harvest (food

security), nutritional status, and housing conditions.

Table showing relationship between land ownership among the Batwa and social economic

characteristics

Scale: 1 sack: 100 kgs

Relationship between land ownership and meals taken per day among the Batwa

Results show that 8% of the Batwa households with land take atleast one meal per day compared

to those with no land (20.6%). About 70% of Batwa with no land (69.7%) take 2 meals per day

and 9.7% of Batwa population take 3 meals per day. This shows that Batwa who have land take

more meals per day compared to those with no land.

Relationship between land ownership and type of housing among the Batwa

Table 11 above shows that there is a relationship between Batwa owning land and those who live

in iron roofed houses. This is because 79.6% of Batwa with land sleep in iron roofed houses

compared to those who with no land and they sleep in grass thatched houses.

Item Description Batwa land ownership

Total Households Yes No

Meals taken per day

1 8.1 20.6 116

2 56.9 69.7 491

3 35.0 9.7 159

Total 334 432 766

Housing conditions among the Batwa

Iron sheets 79.6 32.4 406

Grass thatched 20.4 67.6 360

Total 334 432 766

Volume of harvest among Batwa (Kgs)

Beans 5,096 595 169

Maize 4,080 620 71

Cassava 2,555 500 26

Irish potatoes 5,962 1554 76

Sweet potatoes 7,201 400 68

Millet 7,579 875 58

Relationship between Batwa land ownership and volume of harvest Amount of harvest is an indicator of food security and the majority of Batwa with land were

engaged in the growing of beans and they harvested 5,096 kgs compared to those with no land

(596 kgs). Other crops that were grown and harvested include maize (4,080 kgs), Cassava (2,555

kgs), irish potatoes (5,962 kgs), sweat potatoes (7,201kgs), millet (7,579 kgs) etc. Results also

show that there is a significant relationship between Batwa owning land and the harvest.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Land acquisition, Agriculture Production and Consumption

The study reveals that farming is the most important economic activity for the Batwa in the

BMCA and that crop production is typically conducted on small farms with traditional methods

and rudimentary hand tools. The major findings and challenges identified are inadequate

resources to facilitate opening of their land, the application of inefficient tools and lack of

adequate seeds to plant.

Although a majority of the Batwa access farmland of their own, most accessed land is either

owned or hired land for farming. As a result, an average mutwa household cultivates 1.3 acres of

land. From personal observation Batwa land sometimes hired out land to non Batwa in exchange

for either food or money and this can be a hindrance to food security among the Batwa in the

BMCA.

There is need to bring such land into productive use by sensitizing Batwa on landuse, providing

support with essential inputs such as seeds and tools so as to build their capacity for self-

sufficiency. The program’s approach of providing seeds, training Batwa in backyard gardening,

soil and water conservation is a move in the right direction, but this must be handled with care.

The most widely cultivated crops were identified as beans, maize, cassava, irish potatoes, sweat

potatoes, ground nuts, millet, sorghum, yams, peas, vegetables, rice and wheat respectively.

These are also the main staples consumed by most families in the region. On the other hand,

since the program should aim at increasing production and adoption of crops such as beans,

groundnuts and maize as opportunities exist for more farmers to be involved and supported to

increase acreage under which to plant such crops. To this end crops such as maize, beans,

groundnuts and irish potatoes being promoted by the government of Uganda are also important

to emphasize.

Household food access is defined as the ability to acquire sufficient quality and quantity of food

to meet all the household members’ nutritional requirements to achieve productive lives. The

Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) is used to determine whether this status has been

attained or not. For a household to be considered as having achieved the standard of HDDS, it

must score at least four out of 12 food groups. Therefore, a household consuming an average of

four food groups indicates their diet offers some diversity. The study found that most households

conformed to the average requirement of 5 out of the 12 recommended food groups.

Recommendation for Promotion of Batwa education

Batwa partners in collaboration with Local governments should come up with byelaws

and ordinances which obligate the caretakers and parents to ensure that all children of

school going age stay at school.

BMCT and partners should sensitize Batwa parents and children about the importance of

sending their children to school and participating in school activities.

There is need to strengthen the scholarship program for the Batwa children. The

community fund could be used specifically to address the challenge

The office of Community Development should strengthen the enforcement of labour laws

to reduce on child labour and abuse of children's rights at the same time following up acts

of alcoholism and domestic violence

Revitalise Batwa stakeholder’s coordination meetings to strengthen monitoring of

children enrolment, dropout in schools and other school related issues.

findings from the batwa census and study characteristics...

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